Thursday, April 21, 2011

Kaludiya Pokuna in Kandalama

This is not to be confused with its name-sake in Mihinthale.

Kaludiya Pokuna, dates back to the period between 853 – 857 A.D., during the reign of King Sena the 2nd. The sacred precincts of this ancient site served as a meditating center for the Buddhist monks who resided there.

The approach to this site is very pleasant. The dirt track which passes through paddy and vegetable cultivations is typical rural Sri Lanka. The cultivation gives way to beautiful stands of tall, dry monsoon forest.

Kaludiya Pokuna lies at the base of a long rocky ridge, on the northern periphery of the Knuckles range. As a result, the forest is more intermediate in character than dry zone. It is also home to a wide variety of birds and butterflies, as it is at the junction of different climatic zones with some species being at an extremity of their range. Clearly, it is an exciting place for Birders and Butterfly Watchers.

The archeological site at Kaludiya Pokuna has a few ruins including a stupa, and it is very obvious to the visitor, that this ancient site screams of neglect.

Like at Pidurangala, there are numerous meditating centers or kutis used by the monks to meditate, but totally neglected and left to rot.

There are also two Pokunas or Ponds from which the name Kaludiya Pokuna has been derived. One is completely dry and overgrown with weeds, while the other looks more like a huge muddy stagnant puddle of water, and a heaven for mosquitoes.

My genius cameraman Lal Nishantha used all his skills to capture on camera, the former glory of this once beautiful pond.

I also found two ancient rock inscriptions; one was hardly legible, as the inscription was almost washed away by the ravages of rain, but the 2nd one was mercifully protected by the overhanging rock.

This ancient rock inscription in medieval Sinhala found at Kaludiya Pokuna, dates back to the period between 853 – 857 A.D., during the 8th regnal year of King Sena the 2nd. It states, that during that period, the temple at Kaudiya Pokuna was called Dakinigiri Viharaya and that a person by the name of Dhalatha donated 23 gold coins, to obtain food for the monks residing at the Dakinigiri Viharaya.

Yet another pathetic sight that met my eyes, were the remains of ancient artefacts mostly of clay, belonging to Kaludiya Pokuna, stashed away in a tiny shed, with no door to protect them from thieves.

I left Kaludiya Pokuna with a heavy heart, because it is obviously a place of nobody’s-business. I hope the authorities concerned, would do something about restoring at least some of its glory, and give Kaludiya Pokuna the dignity it rightfully deserves.

Jathika Namal Uyana

There is archaeological evidence to prove, that the forest was also a meditation center for Buddhist monks.....

Kaludiya Pokuna in Kandalama

Kaludiya Pokuna lies at the base of a long rocky ridge, on the northern periphery of the Knuckles range

Remains of a structure that may have been used to serve alms to the resident monks

One of the numerous kutis where monks meditated.....

Out at last with no snake enounters

The 1st was almost illegible as it is exposed to the ravages of nature.....

Yet another pathetic sight that met my eyes, were the remains of ancient artefacts mostly of clay, belonging to Kaludiya Pokuna, stashed away in a tiny shed, with no door to protect them from treasure hunters.....

The ancient stupa at Dakinigri Viharaya screams of neglect.....

But people still pay homage to this sacred stupa.....

Surface roots of a giant tree.....

Ritigala Kanda (Mountain)

Our Guide Telson Fernando, Manager Operations of Serendib Leisure Management and the rest of us on the banks of Banda Pokuna, shortly before we commenced our climb of Ritigala Kanda

Scrambling up several boulders, brought us to the top of the bund of Banda Pokuna

The principal entrance staircase brought us to a small circus or roundabout- the first of three which punctuate the footpath

A few meters further on, brought us to a compound, which looked like a sunken court open to the skies

My team of Tarzans

There are huge ‘tree like’ monsters which are parasites, which have over the years, strangled the ‘victim tree’ and caused it a slow death

The Ritigala stone-flagged pavement, which leads up the main spur, to the two principal double-platform enclosures, of the monastery complex

...................each of the two principal buildings of the monastery consists of a double-platform of immaculate precision, built exactly on the east-west axis...............

The stone bridge

Intricately carved stone urinal

From Switzerland- a 3rd time visitor to Ritigala

Surveying our wild-life infested surroundings

Directing the cameraman

Ooops! The FM mic is out of my pocket

Pidurangala- King Kashyapa’s Temple

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Guide Abeykoone explainging the history of Pidurangala on our way up

Final check of the shot-list

Climbing one of the rocks the monks meditated on

Made it at last!

Crawl down was equally bad..........

Crawling down was no fun, at leat not for me

Winding our way between giant rocks

Ancient rock inscription we saw along the way

We have finally arrived.......

At the feet of the giant Buddha statue

The row of twelve 'Kutis' adjoing each other

My knees were almost packing up during our way down

Discover Sri Lanka- 'The Gathering'

My 'on camera' introduction to the programme

Welcoming Srilal as our 'honorary guide' to The Gathering

Approaching the Minneriya National Park

Lal my cameraman and the rest of the crew ready to roll!

Elephants love water!

Water! Too temptigting to ignore

These are the young ones playing in the water

What an amazing sight!

Srilal looks pleased as punch!

Done for the day!

15th SAARC Conference held in Colombo in August 2008

President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, His Excellency Hamid Karzai

Chief Adviser to the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, His Excellency Dr. Fakhrudd

Muhamalai Forward Defence Line

Muhamalai- Bullet riddled wall

Our mode of transportation- A helicopter Gunship

Ready for take-off !

Sigiriya rock in the background......

The pool blends into the lake.......

......leads you to an open spacious living and dining area with an inviting pool by the side

The villa has its own private pool..........

........and has two balconies overlooking the luscious surroundings

.........stone bathtub.

Entrance to Namal Uyana

Namal Uyana has a history filled with legend and romance.....

Making our way back over the rough suface of rose quartz

Another unique feature to be found here is an ancient water receptacle, into which pure water has been flowing down from the quartz mountains for over a thousand years

Namal Uyana is undoubtedly a valuable site, not only for archaeological, botanical and biological research, but also for the curious tourist like you and I

My crew & I make our way towards the entrance to the meditating centre.....

One of the ponds from which "Kaludiya Pokuna" derived its name.....

Kutt #32.......my crew was horrified when I decided to investigate the snake infested kutti.....

I also came across two ancient rock inscriptions.....

.......but the 2nd one was mercifully protected by an overhanging rock

Sinhala & English translation of the inscription

I left Kaludiya Pokuna with a heavy heart, because it was obviously a place of nobody’s-business

A visit to the Ritigala monastery starts close to the foot of the bund of Banda Pokuna

As we wove our way up through the forest, we discovered that there was no proper pathway, except at intervals, with steps cut into the rock

The near perfectly restored stone pathway now made our ascent a bit easier

A short break to consult my copy of ‘A guide to Ritigala’

The route is lined with ancient forest trees, and the air becomes cool and damp as the vegetation changes to that of a montane jungle

The ruined Ritigala monastery complex covers an area of about 24 hectares or 60 acres..........

...........linked together by a stone bridge

On the stone bridge

Male, female or unisex?

Describing our surroundings on-camera

Time to do 'my bit' on camera

Finally, a chance to quietly absorb the ambiance of Ritigala

Pidurangala- King Kashyapa’s Temple

Pidurangala

Discussing the script on our way up

Ready for the climb ahead!

Almost there.....

Managed it in one piece...........

Pidurangala- King Kashyapa’s Temple- Lal my cameraman in action as we climb

Meditating path used by the monks (for Sakman Bawana)

Pointing in the direction of the Sigiriya Rock

A moment to catch our breath after that arduous climb

Entrane to a 'Kuti'

Inside a 'Kuti'

My TV crew is amused as I unglamouresly make my way down

Introducing Srilal Miththapala to the programme 'Discover Sri Lanka'.

Ready to take-off to Minneriya

On our way to Minneriya

My first sighting of a wild elephant herd!

Srilal counting the number of elephant herds gathered at the Minneriya Tank.

My camera crew in action

Testing the water

Yummy cool water!

Sparring or playing?

Look at the baby!

The elephants go back home to the jungle after a lusicious meal of juicy grass and a refreshing dip in the Minneriya Tank

15th SAARC Conference held in Colombo in August 2008

Former President of the Republic of Maldives, His Excellency Maumoon Abdul Gayoom

The Rupavahini Camera Crew

Rupavahini's SAARC Crew

'Business Matthers' 1989 - 2004

Presenting 'Business Matters'

Editing 'Business Matters'

Checking the list of equipment before leaving for a recording

Shooting in Kandalama for 'Business Matters'

My crew & I returning from 'Nuwara Eliya' after a field coverage for 'Business Matters'